Hiland seniors mingle tears and cheers

Published: May 30, 2000 12:00AM

Mortar boards sailed upward as the rain drops plummeted down Sunday following the graduation ceremony of the Hiland Class of 2000.

The solemn recessional changed into shrieks of delight and enthusiastic embraces as students ran to congratulate each other as they emerged into the lobby that also would soon be packed with family members and friends. Despite the rain, the seniors assembled outside the gym where they mingled tears and cheers and tossed their caps into the air in a private celebration.

Sixty-five students, 100 percent of the Class of 2000, received diplomas at the ceremony conducted at the new Hiland gym.

Jennifer Steiner, class salutatorian, shared memories of her school years with a story that sounded suspiciously like a personal experience, although she said she changed the name to protect the main character's identity.

Steiner recalled being too embarrassed to ride to school in her father's beat up pickup truck and opted to walk instead. She refused to hop in even as Dad inched along beside her on the road, giving her every opportunity to change her mind, while the line of traffic behind them grew longer.

The student eventually accepted a ride from a woman who was concerned the driver of the truck had bad intentions. The humiliating experience worsened throughout the day, finally culminating with a confession when she was confronted by the guidance counselor who wanted to know about the "stranger" in the beat up truck.

Steiner admitted the student showed a streak of stubbornness, but said sometimes this is a positive characteristic that can help a person succeed.

Valedictorian Jessica Pacula told of a young man who achieved his dream of "creating a quality environment to keep his family safe and happy." That man was Walt Disney and the environment was Disneyland, she said.

Disney is an example of "the power to accomplish" which is in each person, she said.

Pacula welcomed her fellow seniors to "the rest of life that begins right now."

"I always knew we would all leave here feeling challenged," she said, adding graduation marks a "dramatic transition" that will require "making all sorts of decisions where to go next."

"I'm starting to believe every day of our lives is a transition," she said.

Pacula challenged her friends to "take hold of your lives."

"It is dangerous to act without thinking, but it is tragic to think without acting," the valedictorian said.

Hiland Principal Matt Johnson praised the senior class for outstanding achievement, both in academics and athletics.

He commended them for achieving the highest score (82 percent) on the freshman proficiency test in 1996; totaling 71 percent passage of all sections of the senior proficiency test and ranking 11th of 611 Ohio high schools; earning superior and excellent scores in district and state musical competition; and winning nine athletic championships during four years of high school.

East Holmes Superintendent Gary Sterrett congratulated the Class of 2000 and shook hands with the students as they filed by to receive their diplomas from East Holmes Board of Education members Tim Miller and Max Weaver, and Erin Van Fossen, director of adult education at Buckeye Career Center.